Michaela Dingová, Tatiana Jakubcová
Comenius University in Bratislava, Jessenius Medical Faculty in Martin, Department of Nursing
DINGOVÁ, M. - JAKUBCOVÁ, T. Health Literacy - New Concept for Nursing Practice. In Ošetrovateľstvo: teória, výskum, vzdelávanie, 2011, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 34-41.
Introduction: The issue of health literacy is the focus of nursing as one of the health and health outcomes related factors. Reasonably, data on the level of health literacy and the prevalence of its deficiency in patients are lacking due to absence of the Slovak version of the research instrument.
Aims: The main objective of our work was to study the level of health literacy in three specific groups of clients in from the point of age, sex, years of schooling. Another objective was to determine usability and internal consistency in our pilot testing an instrument for assessment of health literacy The Newest Vital Sign. Sample and Methods: Our research sample is consisted of 140 respondents: 40 high school students (with an average age of 17.5 ± 0.54 years), 40 nurses (34.5 ± 8.24 years) and 60 outpatients in primary care (42.32 ± 11.47 years). The Newest Vital Sign was used for data gathering. The total score above 4 indicates low likelihood of limited health literacy, while the score lower than 4, indicates limited health literacy.
Results and Conclusion: Statistically significant differences were found in the level of health literacy from the point of the highest level of education, particularly in the patient group (p < 0.05). Significant differences in the level of health literacy in were not confirmed between the groups in terms of gender and age (p > 0.05) in our study. Total test score (3.08 ± 1.75), made by patients with the lowest educational attainment has specific consequences in our clinical setting. It is necessary to adapt the content and method of administration of health information in this group of patients. NVS test can be used in clinical settings but also in the public screening of health literacy level.
Keywords: health literacy, health literacy assessement, The Newest Vital Sign, patient
Mgr. Michaela Dingová, PhD.
Ústav ošetrovateľstva JLF UK
Malá Hora 5
036 01 Martin
e-mail: dingova@jfmed.uniba.sk